Group of momentary-contact switches as control panel which can be illuminated in motor vehicles

Abstract

A pushbutton switch array is proposed which provides an illuminatable operating surface and manages with only few light sources without requiring any separate optical waveguide structures. The pushbutton switch array has a frame which is covered by a transparent film and includes recesses which have actuating elements accommodated therein for displacement. The actuating elements are configured to have light-guiding and light-coupling structures. A shared light source is, or only few shared light sources are, optically coupled to the light-coupling structures of the actuating elements which, for their part, are optically coupled to each other by adjoining light-coupling structures. The light-guiding structures guide the light coupled into the actuating elements to the actuating surface adjacent to the film. The actuating elements may be provided with symbols on their actuating surface adjoining the film, the symbols being visible through the film. Preferably, however, it is the film itself which is provided with symbols and/or legends which are assigned to the actuating elements arranged therebehind. These symbols are then illuminated by the actuating elements.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A pushbutton switch array comprising a frame which is covered by a transparent film and includes recesses which each have an actuating element accommodated therein for displacement, the actuating elements being configured to have light-guiding and light-coupling structures, and further comprising a shared light source or few shared light sources which are optically coupled to the light-coupling structures of the actuating elements which, for their part, are optically coupled to each other by adjoining light-coupling structures displaceable relative to each other, the light-guiding structures guiding the light coupled into the actuating elements to the actuating surface adjacent to the film. 
     
     
       2. The pushbutton switch array according to  claim 1 , further comprising a shared printed circuit board which has the light sources and assigned switch elements arranged thereon that are located in opposition to the end faces of the actuating elements facing away from the film. 
     
     
       3. The pushbutton switch array according to  claim 1 , in which the actuating elements are made from a transparent plastic material so as to be solid. 
     
     
       4. The pushbutton switch array according to  claim 1 , in which the actuating surfaces of the actuating elements are provided with symbols. 
     
     
       5. The pushbutton switch array according to  claim 1 , in which the frame is formed by a plate made from a light-transmissive material. 
     
     
       6. The pushbutton switch array according to  claim 5 , in which the film is provided with symbols and/or legends which are assigned to the actuating elements. 
     
     
       7. The pushbutton switch array according to  claim 6 , in which at least one of the symbols and/or legends engages laterally over an associated actuating surface of an actuating element. 
     
     
       8. The pushbutton switch array according to  claim 1 , for use as an illuminatable operating panel in a motor vehicle. 
     
     
       9. The pushbutton switch array according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the light-coupling structures has at least one lateral optical surface, the lateral optical surface of a first light-coupling structure optically coupling the first light-coupling structure to a second light-coupling structure. 
     
     
       10. The pushbutton switch array according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one lateral optical surface of the first light-coupling structure is displaceable relative to the at least one lateral optical surface of the second light-coupling structure. 
     
     
       11. A pushbutton switch array, comprising:
 a frame including a plurality of recesses; 
 a transparent film covering the frame; 
 a plurality of actuating elements accommodated within the plurality of recesses of the frame, the actuating elements being displaceable relative to each other, each actuating element including:
 a light-guiding structure; and 
 a light-coupling structure optically connecting the plurality of actuating elements to each other; and 
 
 at least one shared light source optically coupled to the light-coupling structures, the light-coupling structures guiding light emitted from the at least one shared light source into the light-guiding structure and to actuating surfaces adjacent the film. 
 
     
     
       12. The pushbutton switch array according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the light-coupling structures has at least one lateral optical surface, the lateral optical surface of a first light-coupling structure optically coupling the first light-coupling structure to a second light-coupling structure. 
     
     
       13. The pushbutton switch array according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one lateral optical surface of the first light-coupling structure is displaceable relative to the at least one lateral optical surface of the second light-coupling structure.